Green Councillors are today celebrating World Environment Day with a call to action for the community to get involved
Greens have today reaffirmed commitments to work together with community, businesses, schools and other local organisations to help lower emissions by 2030, asking people across the city to contribute to help tackle climate change.
Everyone can contribute to the conversation and share ideas and insight as part of a dedicated website: https://climateconversationsbrighton.uk.engagementhq.com/
The call to take part comes as we celebrate World Environment Day, which this year has a theme of ‘Ecosystem Restoration’, focusing on work that can be done together to protect and restore green space and the environment.
Greens say that since last World Environment Day, the council continues to strongly advocate for climate action, with great progress being made; including:
- Holding a climate assembly focussed on transport, with residents working together to deliver 10 recommendations on how to lower emissions;
- Publication of our Carbon Neutral 2030 plan for action
- Opening Valley Gardens Parts 1+2, providing new green space, cycle tracks and public event squares
- Introduction of new walking and cycling schemes, including progress towards a brand-new layout of Madeira Drive
- Expansion of BTN Bikeshare Hubs across the city
- Delivery of electric vehicle charging points
- Working in partnership with the University of Sussex and others to look at cleaner energy, such as hydrogen; and with community groups, to tackle waste and our food systems
Despite this, Green Councillors have said that there is much more work that needs to be done and highlighted that before next World Environment Day, they hope to have:
- Shared options on new recycling options in the city, presenting the result of studies on the introduction of food waste collections and wider collection of plastics
- Initiated a consultation into a Local Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Plan which will identify key transport corridors and offer residents greater walking and cycling opportunities
- Made progress in rewilding Waterhall Golf Course, providing new green space and enhancing biodiversity
- Completed the installation of more LED street lamps
- Worked with the community to progress plans on the Hanover and Tarner pilot liveable neighbourhood
- Introduced a new environmental education strategy for our city’s schools
Green Councillor Amy Heley, who Chairs the Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee said:
“We now have just eight and a half years left before our climate and biodiversity crisis is irreversible. We are doing as much as we can to tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency our city faces.
“But we can’t do this alone. The council contributes less than 2% of our city’s emissions – so we know it’s vital we all pull together to create the change we need. With less than 6 months to go to the international climate change conference, COP26, we’ve seen continued Government inaction.
“Brighton & Hove already has a long history of people taking environmental action and I thank everyone who continues to contribute their ideas, their personal action and their insight. From the University of Sussex and National Park Authority, to seafront businesses and community groups, we have a wealth of resources and commitment to improve our environment and our city. The council is just one part of the picture – and while we will do our bit to tackle the climate crisis – we know together we will be able to truly drive down emissions.
“So as we continue to reach out to our partners, businesses and communities, we welcome and encourage the fantastic innovation and contribution of all those across our city pushing for a healthier, greener Brighton & Hove. We encourage everyone to get involved in the conversation and we are also pushing to take the city’s concerns about climate change to the heart of COP26 this year.”